Clematis plant named &#39;evipo029&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new  Clematis  cultivar which is well suited to propagation in glasshouses with a very compact growth habit and profuse light violet flowers. The variety successfully propagates from softwood cuttings and is suitable for cultivation in commercial glasshouses. This new and distinct variety has shown to be uniform and stable in the resulting generations from propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Botanical Classification

Genus — Clematis

Subgenus — flammula

Section — viticella

Variety Denomination

‘Evipo029’

Commercial Classification

Early large flowered cultivar

The present invention constitutes a new and distinct variety of Clematis which originated from a controlled crossing between the female parent, Clematis ‘Silver Moon’, and the male parent, an un-named seedling.

The new clematis may be distinguished from its female seed parent, ‘Silver Moon’, by the following combination of characteristics:

-   -   1. In one growing season, ‘Evipo029’ normally grows to less than         60 cm in height. ‘Silver Moon’ typically attains 150 cm height.     -   2. ‘Evipo029’ displays flowers with a diameter of 90 mm, while         flowers of ‘Silver are typically 130 mm.     -   3. ’ Evipo029’ has a red flower center. ‘Silver Moon’ has a         yellow flower center.

The new clematis may be distinguished from its male pollen parent, an un-named seedling, by the following combination of characteristics:

-   -   1. ‘Evipo029’ has a light violet flower color. The pollen parent         tends to be red-purple.     -   2. ‘Evipo029’ is more compact, attaining 60 cm in height in one         growing season. The pollen parent attains 100 cm of height in         one season's growth.

The two parents were crossed and the resulting seed was planted in a controlled environment. The new variety is named ‘Evipo029’.

The objective of the hybridization and selection of this Clematis variety for commercial glasshouse and nursery culture was to create a new and distinct variety with the unique qualities that this variety has:

-   -   1. Compact growth habit;     -   2. Light violet flowers;     -   3. Suitable for commercial pot-plant culture without requiring a         growing support structure.

These qualities required improvement in Clematis varieties that were in commercial cultivation and the objectives have been substantially achieved in the new variety, as evidenced by the unique combination of characteristics that are present in ‘Evipo029’ which distinguish it from all other varieties of which we are aware.

The seeds from the aforementioned hybridization were germinated and evaluations of the resulting seedling plants were conducted in a controlled environment. As a result, ‘Evipo029’ was selected by Raymond J. Evison and Mogens N. Olesen in their Clematis development program in Domarie Vineries Les Sauvagees, St. Sampsons, Guernsey, Channel Islands, United Kingdom in April 1998.

Asexual reproduction of ‘Evipo029’ by cuttings was first done by Raymond J. Evison and Mogens N. Olesen in Domarie Vineries Les Sauvagees, St. Sampsons, Guernsey, Channel Islands, United Kingdom in May 1998. This initial and subsequent propagations have demonstrated that the characteristics of ‘Evipo029’ are true to type and are transmitted from one generation to the next.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying color illustrations show as true as is reasonably possible to obtain in color photographs of this type:

FIG. 1.1 Bloom, upper side;

FIG. 1.2 Bloom, lower side;

FIG. 1.3 Flower bud at ¼ opening, and closed flower bud;

FIG. 1.4 Leaves and closed flower buds attached to stem;

FIG. 1.5 Stem and juvenile foliage.

FIG. 2.0 Flowers, flower buds, and leaves.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY

The following is a detailed description of ‘Evipo029’, as observed in its growth throughout the flowering period in glasshouses at Domarie Vineries Les Sauvagees, St. Sampsons, Guernsey, Channel Islands, United Kingdom. Observed plants were cultivated for a period of 24 months in 2 liter containers. Certain phenotypical characteristics of the variety may vary under different environmental, cultural, agronomic, seasonal, and climatic conditions. Color references are made using The Royal Horticultural Society (London, England) Colour Chart, 2001.

For a comparison, the nearest existing Clematis variety is ‘EVIPO017’, described and illustrated in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 10/640,793 dated 13 Aug. 2003, is compared to ‘Evipo029’. Chart 1 details several physical characteristics of ‘Evipo029’ and ‘Evipo017’. COMPARISON CHART ′Evipo029′ ′Evipo017′ Flower 70-90 mm 90-130 mm Diameter Growth height 0.50 M 1-1.50 M in one season General Violet 85B Violet 85A Tonality

FLOWER AND FLOWER BUD

-   Blooming habit:     -   -   Flowering period.—Early spring, typically from April to May.             Flowering recurs agin in autumn, typically during the months             of August, September, and October. -   Flower bud:     -   -   Size.—25 to 35 mm in length. Bud diameter is 12 to 15 mm.         -   Bud form.—Ovoid.         -   Bud color.—Green Group 138B at ¼ opening. -   Peduncle:     -   -   Surface.—Smooth         -   Length.—30mm average length.         -   Color.—Red-Purple Group 60A.         -   Strength.—Strong. -   Receptacle: None -   Flower Arrangement:     -   -   Location on vine.—Flowers emerge from old, previous             season's, and new, current season's growth.         -   Borne.—Occasionally singly but also in clusters of 3-5             flowers arranged in compound cymes. -   Flower bloom:     -   -   Size.—70-90 mm in diameter. 15 mm in depth. Flower depth is             largely the result of the protruding reproductive flower             parts.         -   Profile.—Upon opening, flowers are slightly concave. After             opening flowers are flat with straight tepals.         -   Tepal color.—Upon opening: Upper surface is Violet Group             85B. After opening: Upper surface is Violet Group 85C.         -   Variations.—Lower surface can exhibit light green central             bar along each tepal length, the color of Greyed Green Group             190A.         -   Fragrance.—Very light floral scent.         -   Lastingness on plant.—10-15 days.         -   Lastingness (cut flower).—3-4 days. -   Tepals:     -   -   Quantity.—Average range is 6 to 8 tepals.         -   Size.—40 mm in length by 25 mm wide.         -   Shape.—Individual tepal shape is elliptic.         -   Cross section.—Flat.         -   Margins.—Entire.         -   Undulation of margin.—Slight. Undulations occur 2 to 3 times             along the margin, at a depth of 5 mm.         -   Tepal apex.—Narrowly acute.         -   Recurvature of tip.—None.         -   Persistence.—Normally tepals drop off cleanly after flowers             have fully matured.         -   Arrangement.—Tepals are arranged regularly. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Arrangement.—Open.         -   Pollen.—Quantity: Average. Color: White Group 155 A.         -   Anthers.—Size: 10 mm in length. Color: Red-Purple Group 59B.             Quantity: 80-90 (actual count).         -   Filaments.—Color: Greyed Green Group 192C. Length: 12-15 mm.         -   Pistils.—Quantity: 70 to 80 (actual count).         -   Stigmas.—10 mm in length. As flowers age, stigmas protrude             further than the anthers.         -   Styles.—Color: Greyed Green Group 192C. Length: 15 mm. -   Seed characteristics:     -   -   Size.—Individual seeds are 30 to 40 mm in length. The             elongate plumule accounts for the majority of the length. 4             to 5 mm in diameter at at the base of the seed.         -   Shape.—Circular to tear shaped with elongated plumule.

PLANT

-   Plant form: Climbing and bushy. -   Plant growth: Very compact. Seasons growth attains 0.5 meters in     height. Average spread is 50 cm. -   Hardiness: Trials to date demonstrate that the variety is hardy to     USDA Cold Hardiness Zone 4. -   Stems:     -   -   Color.—Young wood: Green Group 137C, turning Greyed-Red             Group 178B. Older wood: Greyed-Orange Group 165C.         -   Internodes.—Shape: Cylindrical. Length: 10 to 30 mm.         -   Surface.—Young wood: Smooth. Older wood: Smooth -   Plant foliage:     -   -   Leaf characteristics.—Deciduous.         -   Mature leaf form.—Trifoliate.         -   Compound leaf size.—80 mm (1)×80 mm (w).         -   Abundance.—There are 6 leaves per 10 cm of stem on average.         -   Color.—Mature Leaves: Upper surfaces are Green Group 137A.             Lower surfaces are Green Group 137C. Juvenile Leaves: Upper             Surfaces are Green Group 143A. Lower surfaces are Green             Group 143C. -   Plant leaves and leaflets:     -   -   Stipules.—Absent.         -   Petioles.—Size: Average length: 10-30 mm. Color: Red-Purple             Group 59A. Clasping: By leaf petiole.         -   Petioloule.—Length: 30-40 mm Color: Green Group 137B             occasionally Red-Purple Group 59A.         -   Leaf edge.—Terminal leaflet margin is entire.         -   Leaflet shape.—Generally ovate. Base is rounded. Leaflet             apex is apiculate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Leaflet size.—50 mm in length by 25 mm wide.         -   Surface texture.—Upper surface is smooth. Lower surface is             somewhat pubescent.         -   Thickness.—Moderate.         -   Glossiness.—upper and lower side both glossy. -   Disease resistance: Subject to any disease that normally attacks the     species. However, the variety is more tolerant to mildew than other     Clematis of which we are aware. 

1. We claim a new and distinct variety of clematis plant named ‘Evipo009’, illustrated and described herein as a distinct and novel clematis variety due to its abundant violet flowers with good keepability, attractive long lasting foliage and exceptionally compact growth, year round flowering under glasshouse conditions, suitability for production from softwood cuttings in pots, durable flowers and foliage which make the variety suitable for distribution in the floral industry. 